The present invention relates to a ferrule end-surface polishing apparatus for polishing an end-surface of a ferrule for an optical fiber, and more particularly, to a ferrule end-surface polishing apparatus suitable for automated polishing of a ferrule end-surface.
In a conventional apparatus for polishing an end-surface of a ferrule for an optical fiber, for example, as described in JP-A-6-179161, an end portion of a ferrule is securely held by a holding means, and an end-surface of the ferrule is pressed onto an eccentrically rotating polishing platform at a constant pressure to polish the end-surface of the ferrule.
In the foregoing conventional apparatus, however, no consideration has been given to automatization which is essential to accommodate a significant increase in demand for optical fiber products in the future. The aforementioned known example discloses automation of polishing alone through the rotation of a polishing machine, and discloses that mounting and holding of ferrules, replacement of polishing paper, and so on are manually performed. For this reason, there has been a problem that the automatization is difficult. Specifically explaining, in the aforementioned conventional apparatus, a ferrule is mounted by inserting the ferrule into a hole slightly larger than the outer diameter of the ferrule (for example, approximately 0.005 mm), made in a ferrule holder, and holding the ferrule with fixing nuts at a fixed height and a fixed angle.
The replacement of polishing paper involves operations such as removing a ferrule holder with a ferrule mounted therein, and replacing polishing paper attached on a rotating disk. The insertion of a ferrule into a hole in the ferrule holder is difficult even with human""s hands since even slight inclination would result in a chape. Its automatization would require a highly accurate positioning machine and a highly accurate sensor, but is practically not feasible. In addition, for the replacement of polishing paper, it is difficult, even with human""s hands, to remove a metal-made holder, which is made thick for ensuring a rigidity, with a ferrule mounted therein, leading to a likelihood of breaking an optical fiber.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for polishing an end-surface of a ferrule, which facilitates the automatization.
To achieve the above object, the present invention provides a ferrule end-surface polishing apparatus having holding means for holding a ferrule, and a turntable for rotating and holding polishing paper for polishing an end-surface of the ferrule held by the holding means, wherein the holding means comprises two holder blocks which are movable to each other and have holders formed at opposing portions thereof, and a guide block disposed above the holder blocks for guiding the ferrule moved down from above between the two block holders.